Hadith of Mubahala
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Part of a series on Shi'a Islam The verse of purification |
The Hadith of Mubahela is Muslim tradition about a debate (arabic: mubahela) of Muhammad with the Christians of Najran and summoned the members of his household, the Ahl al-Bayt.
The event is recorded in several hadith collections and is referred to in the Qur'anic Sura Al Imran.
It is seen as one of the merits of Ahl al-Bayt and is widely used in Shia-Sunni arguments, and also used by the Shia to prove that Ali has the same authority over Muslims as Muhammad.
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[edit] Narration
According to Islamic tradition, the Christians of Najran were unhappy about the rapid spread of Islam in the lands of Arabia. They wished to discuss this matter with Muhammad and arrived in Medina in 630 CE. Learned scholars were selected by the Christians who had a continuous dialogue with Muhammad for three days. It started on Saturday, when Sunday arrived, the Christians asked to leave the city to pray. The Prophet told them to stay and pray inside the Mosque of the Prophet, which they did.
Muhammad and the Christians were unable to arrive on any mutual understanding. At this point, Muhammad proclaimed that he had received a revelation (recorded in Sura Al Imran):
- If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say: "Come! let us gather together,- our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie!" [Qur'an 3:61]:
The next morning, Muhammad emerged from his house with his closest family. He held the hand of Hasan walking beside him, held Husain in his arms, followed by his daughter Fatimah and finally by his son-in-law Ali. He came and stood with this family in front of the Christian bishops who also came forward to perform the Mubahela.
The chief of the Christians was bishop Abul Harris. When he saw this small family of the Prophet he turned towards his fellow Christians and told them, "do not indulge in Mubahela with this family, for I am observing such pious faces that if they would order the mountain to come to them the mountain shall move towards them. It is therefore prudent to make treaty with them rather than confrontation of this spiritual imminence." They asked Muhammad for peace and it was accepted. Muhammad extended the hand of friendship towards them, a treaty was signed and both parties left on friendly terms.
